Smartphone photo via Shutterstock
By Aimee Millwood
All you tech-savvy travelers know there are plenty of apps out that can help ease the logistical troubles of wanderlusting. But with so many apps on the market, which will actually help you with the obstacles travelers run into most? Never fear, our traveling team has compiled their favorite must-have apps for your most common travel issues.
Organize travel itineraries on the go
Worldmate and TripIt are two of the most useful apps for keeping itineraries organized. TripIt is best for frequent travelers who need to organize multiple itineraries because it automatically syncs all your e-mailed itineraries from your Gmail account into the TripIt organizer, so you can see all of your travel plans in one place. Never search your email inbox for that pesky flight ticket confirmation again.
Worldmate is designed for business travelers seeking a one-stop shop for all their travel-planning needs, with an app integrated with Outlook and LinkedIn that compiles all the key pre-trip preparation information, such as your flight, hotel, and rental car bookings, next to weather forecasts, a world clock, maps, and more. Additionally, you can easily share your plans with co-workers, making it perfect for teams looking to synchronize plans.
Manage money by knowing the correct conversions as soon as you arrive
Any finance savvy traveler knows it’s important not to be swindled by inaccurate exchange rates over borders. XE Currency provides up to date conversion rates for most countries and currencies, so you can check rates from your phone.
Share your favorite trip moments in a unique way
It’s hard to share all your favorite moments from a vacation with friends, and while great photographs can help you tell the story, often a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram update with a few photos from your trip doesn’t quite do the trick. Luckily, Slide.ly recently came out with their newest app, Slidely Show, which allows you to collect your top photos and match them with music so you can share not just a single photo but create a beautiful slideshow that captures the best moments of your trip. Slidely Show is a flexible tool, whether you want to recap a recent trip with one of your companions, share travels with your loved ones back home, or update the world on your most recent happenings.
Additionally, it’s hassle-free: you grab photos from social media, your device’s camera roll, DropBox, and more, then create your slideshow and send it out via Whatsapp, Instagram, email, social media, and more. No more synching photos to your computer or scrolling through albums with friends when you get home – now all your favorite moments can be compiled in one place.
Avoid obscene data charges when abroad
Onavo is an innovative app that minimizes your international data use, so when you’ve got to get out of airplane mode abroad to use GPS or check an email, you don’t have to freak over ridiculously large charges from your cell phone company. This free app is magic when you just land in a new country and need to use your local phone.
Grab the cheapest flight
Skyscanner is unparalled for finding bargain flights. It looks across multiple airlines and airline-scanning sites like Kayak to give you the cheapest deal whether you have flexible or set dates. The app is intuitive and quick – scanning the web for accurate rates so you never have to worry if you are getting the best deal.
With these repertoire of tools, you’ve got an app-packed traveling kit right at your fingertips. No matter how you travel, these apps offer something for everyone. Enjoy, and let us know if you have any apps you can’t live without on the go. We’re always looking for new ways to spend less time on logistics and more time enjoying the journey.
Aimee Millwood is a writer with wanderlust who currently lives in Hanoi, Vietnam. She graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she received her BA in Literature with an emphasis in creative writing. She believes everyone has a story to tell and is interested in the use of personal narrative to give voice to people whose stories are not always heard. She credits growing up in both Hawaii and Georgia with her constant desire to explore the concept of home and how places shape who we become. Although she has spent the past two years traveling in South America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, she believes a physical trip is not the only means of travel – at times, just the wind on your face during a long drive or the scent